THE OPEN DOOR

The Briarcliff Congregational Church 30 South State Road, PO Box 290, Briarcliff Manor, New York 10510

914-941-4368 www.briarcliffchurch.org

“Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” Revelation 3:8

Volume 66 Number 8 May 2014

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Moderator’s Report 2

History in the Making 3

Why Church? 3

Women’s Society News 4

Raise the Age 5

Sunday School Seder 5

Heifer Fair 6

Picnic Planners Needed 6

May Calendar 7

Dear Good People of Briarcliff Church,

What a wondrous, glorious Easter we’ve been blessed to enjoy! So many people

contributed so generously to make it absolutely sublime, and I thank God for you

all and all of it. For some of us the season leading up to Easter (Lent) was

particularly rich because we read, reflected on and shared our reactions to a series

of devotions produced by the Still Speaking Writers Group of the United Church of

Christ. The last devotion was written by Tony Robinson and meant for Easter. I’m

happy to share with you:

Resurrection is a word I like.

In the Sunday papers and on TV

there are “Easter Bunny Specials.”

Soft, sweet and safe.

Resurrection is not safe.

Resurrection disturbs, shatters, surges,

a rushing mountain stream shooting

between boulders,

power that cannot be stopped.

Resurrection is a word I like.

On Sunday morning they thought he was safe –

safely dead and buried,

over, done, finished – finally.

The One who put the question,

the One who spoke the promise,

the One in whom a new creation came near,

the One who said, “Follow me,”

was dead and buried,

safely.

Bring on the bunnies, flowers, candy,

sports, spectacles and other safe

substitutions for

Life.

continued, page 2

SAVE THESE DATES

May 3 Rummage Sale!

11 Heifer Fair

12 ANNUAL REPORTS DUE

18 Laity Sunday

19 Church Council

June 2 Annual Meeting

8 Church School Sunday

15 Choir Recognition

Contact Us At:

rosborough

@briarcliffchurch.org

AND

church-office

@briarcliffchurch.org

2

Resurrection is a disturbing word,

which says, we’re never safe

from God

from the new

from life

from love.

A disturbing, hopeful, shattering word –

Resurrection is a word I like.

MODERATOR’S REPORT

At our March Council meeting, we discussed our

Vitality initiative. We gathered names of

community organizations with whom we will seek

meetings to learn their views on the needs of the

community. These include Mayors’ offices, our

tenants, Pace University, and Phelps support

groups. We are holding these meetings so that we

can later talk to all of you about how we can focus

our activities in the future. If you have ideas about

local organizations we should visit, please let us

know. The visits will be conducted by Pastor

Bonnie, members of the Vitality Team and others

who have contacts with these organizations.

We also talked about ways to make BCC more

visible in our community – watch for BCC

publicity at the Rummage Sale and be ready to

talk to all those people who shop with us about

our mission here. We are learning that most of

them do not even know that the Sanctuary is

across the street.

Our Trustees are already thinking about ways to

improve our budget planning. They made a

special request to all the committees – please give

them your budget request for 2015 early in the fall

so they can begin their “balancing act” to meet as

many needs as possible. And, think carefully

about it because you will be expected to live

within your budget unless you go back to them

with additional requests.

Continuing the theme of better communication,

the Deacons are asking for input from the

Congregation on services, such as the special

Maundy Thursday service. Having just attended

that service last night, I want to commend them

and Pastor Bonnie for a memorable and moving

service. For those of you that have not attended

this service in the past, I highly encourage you to

join us next year.

On a more festive note, we heard from Christian

Education about their Easter Egg Hunt, which was

held on Saturday, April 19, and was open to the

community, with the hope that children outside

the Church would attend. We were pleased to

vote in John Panacagos as our new Church School

Director. John has given so much to our youth

programs over time and we appreciate his

continuing commitment. We still need a few more

picnic planners to take over two events that CE

previously ran. See the separate solicitation in this

Open Door.

Trustees took a different approach for our Easter

Offering this year. To recognize that the Deacons

creatively organize activities during the year for

which they might not have requested budget

monies, the Easter offering will provide them with

a flexible fund that they can use to provide special

events, for example, Derrick McQueen’s

presentation on the legacy of Paul Robeson as a

civil rights activist that so many of us found to be

highly educational and inspiring.

Mel Corbett reported on the results of the Church-

wide survey which you should have received by

now. The Council thanked the Deacons for

conducting this important study that will help

them and Pastor Bonnie in their future planning of

our services.

PLEASE MARK JUNE 3 ON YOUR CALENDAR

AND JOIN US FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING. I

know it’s another one of those evening meetings

and some of us find it difficult to go out again

after we have come home from a busy day, but this

is a very important event in our Church life. We

come together to vote in the wonderful people

who have volunteered to run all our activities.

Frankly, we are now challenged to find all the

volunteers we need. Nominations asked the

Council to consider reducing the number of

required members for some of the committees,

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and that will be considered as part of the regular

5-year review of our By-Laws next fall. Even if

you cannot make a commitment to work on a

committee, I hope you will let Nominations know

that you are available for special projects.

Sometimes an extra couple of hands are greatly

appreciated.

Respectfully submitted,

Beverly Aisenbrey, Moderator

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

If you worshipped at BCC on Sunday, 5 April, you

witnessed a most special moment: Londa Wilson

read the lesson from Ezekiel, in the King James

translation, downloaded on her “Google tablet,”

from the BCC pulpit! Just think about the years

that moment encapsulated. Ezekiel was a prophet

of the Exile, so we’ll date his work as

approximately 600 BCE. The KJV is a translation

of scripture authorized for use in the Church of

England in 1611 CE. Londa read an electronic

version of it downloaded from the internet (2014)

from a pulpit, which, albeit long hospitable to

women, to many represents times that were not so

hospitable. (Don’t forget – we burned “witches”

and something like “an electronic version” would

have been proof positive of possession!) While I’m

often moved by our weekly experience of hearing

ancient testimonies of our faith as they come to us

through scripture, this new electronic twist

provided another layer of the generations present

in that “cloud of witnesses” present whenever we

gather in Christ. And what a snapshot of our

contemporary experience! Wonder what Ezekiel

thought of it…or James I…or Margaret Jones (first

woman, an herbalist and midwife, executed for

witchcraft in Massachusetts Bay Colony) …or…

BCC LENDS HAND(S) TO FOOD BANK

On Saturday, April 5th, members of the BCC

community volunteered their time at the Food

Bank for Westchester in Elmsford . The Food Bank

provides food for 230 hunger relief programs

throughout Westchester County. Including food

pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers and child

care facilities.

The BCC volunteers, along with 25 other

volunteers, inspected, sorted and repacked food

drive donations so that they could be distributed

to various hunger relief programs. We were also

given a tour of their wonderful facility.

It was a very rewarding Saturday for all involved.

A big thank you to our volunteers Anita Eddy,

Henrietta Porter, the Primes family, the Banino

family, Cathy and Mary Nichols and Stephanie

and Craig Prentiss.

We are looking at going back in the autumn, and

will announce future dates in the weekly bulletin

and Open Door newsletter.

WHY CHURCH?

Why do we come to church? Is it an obligation

of our faith or one of the privileges afforded us

by God? What do we expect to get out of

church, and what does the church have the right

to expect from us? These are a few of the

questions we will be exploring in the annual

Laity Sunday worship service, to be held this

year on Sunday, May 18, 2014. As always, the

liturgy will be developed and led by the Board

of Deacons, and there will opportunity for

members of our church family to share their

thoughts on the subject. The Deacons hope that

this will be a thought-provoking hour of prayer

and praise that will help the congregation

prepare for the future of our church. We hope

you will make a special effort to attend. The Board of Deacons

THANK YOU, BCC!

On behalf of the C.E. Committee: The BCC Spring

Food Drive, for the Ossining Food Pantry, was a

success. The BCC Confirmation Group, Pastor

Bonnie, Martha Yergeau and Rachel Hansen

delivered the collected food to Trinity Church.

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What a joy to see our church's donation in one

place! Martha and Karen, who received the

donation at the Food Pantry, gave our

Confirmation Group some information on how the

Pantry works, where the donations come from and

how their 'clients' receive the donated food. With

the contributions from our generous congregation,

we were able to be part of this amazing charity.

Thank You - BCC!

FROM THE CARING COMMITTEE ~

GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS

If someone in your family is preparing to graduate

from high school, college or graduate school,

please let the Church Office know so we can

acknowledge their accomplishment in the coming

weeks. Thanks!

WOMEN’S SOCIETY REPORT

As this is being written, we are anticipating the

2014 Rummage Sale to be held on Saturday, May 3.

We’re hoping for good weather and an abundance

of donated treasures and many happy and willing

helpers. Thanks go to all who donated, sorted,

sold, and yes, even bought. Bless you all.

We continue to knit 8” squares to send to Turkey

to be made into blankets for Syrian refugee

children by women running Project LILY (Love in

the Language of Yarn). Kim Ruffing is

coordinating this effort so e-mail her if you have

any questions (tkruffing@gmail.com).

Rummage Wrap Up Meeting, Friday, May 16, at

9:30. Louisa Myers has graciously invited us to

meet at her lovely new apartment at Scarborough

Manor, 16 Rockledge Ave, Apt. 2M-1, Ossining,

NY 10562. Helen Buerger (coopbuerger@aol.com

or 914-552-3975) will arrange car pools, meeting

this time in the Stop & Shop parking lot. Watch

for an email with more details.

May Field Trip, Thursday, May 29. We’ll be

traveling down to the Metropolitan Museum of

Art to visit the newly reopened Costume Exhibit.

Again we’ll be carpooling from the church parking

lot at 9:00. Call or email Helen Buerger to let us

know if you’ll be coming. We usually have lunch

at one of the restaurants in the museum. Everyone

is welcome. Again watch for an email reminder

from Janet Moulton with more details.

June Luncheon, June 12 at 11:30. Wicki Martin

has so very kindly volunteered to host this year’s

luncheon at her home in Pleasantville. Mark your

calendars now and know that more information

will be coming. Carol Mickel will have signup

sheets for the always delicious, food contributions.

Finally, the Nominating Committee will be

meeting to consider new officers and committee

chairwomen. We do know that we will need a

new Historian. Think about what you can

contribute to the Women’s Society. Contact Penny

Wolf (914-762-7937, wolfempire@aol.com) if you

would like more details.

FOLLOW-UP: Spiritual Tasks of Aging

The Deacons-sponsored workshop, “Spiritual

Tasks of Aging” led by the Rev’d Dr. Carole

Johannsen, which nearly two dozen of us enjoyed

in March, raised a number of topics and began a

rich conversation about the wisdom and grace

elders invariably have gleaned through the years.

It also challenged participants to reflect on a

number of topics that are often difficult to ponder:

Forgiveness – the Struggle and the Relief; Your

Death, Your Way; Ethical Wills. As there wasn’t

time then to pursue these subjects, the Deacons

PLEDGE REMINDER

Given the tight financial constraints in this

year’s budget it would be very helpful if, where

possible, pledge contributions are made sooner

in the year or periodically throughout the year

rather than waiting until year end. This will

help with future planning and cash flow.

Thank you for your help.

Trustees and Treasurer

5

are hosting a follow-up conversation for any who

would like to explore them. We’ll gather on

Saturday morning, 10 May, 10-noon, to work on

some of the “homework” Dr. Johannsen left for us.

Please let the Deacons know if you’ll participate.

Sign-up sheets will be in the back of the sanctuary

and in the Church office.

RAISE THE AGE: Town Hall Meeting

Mt. Kisco Public Library, May 8th, 6-8 p.m.

The Westchester Children’s Association, where

Sarah Yergeau works as a Program and Policy

Associate, is hosting a conversation about the fact

that ours is one of only two states in the nation

that charges, convicts, sentences and incarcerates

people as young as sixteen as if they are adults. In

January Governor Cuomo announced a

“Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice”

that will study this issue and make

recommendations for change. The WCA meeting

is offered as an opportunity for the public to learn

more about the issues: “What are the arguments

for raising the age? What services and supports do

youth who break the law need? What are the

implications of the heroin and prescription drug

crisis? How does raising the age affect public

safety?” Pastor Rosborough will be one of the

panelists. Those planning to attend must register:

bit.ly/RTATownHall2 . There is no charge.

CLEANUP DAY A BIG SUCCESS

It was a beautiful day and fifteen beautiful people

all worked together under the leadership of

Rosalie Matsuoka - beautifying the church

grounds, the morning of April 12th. So much was

accomplished - pruning shrubs, vines and trees,

raking, cutting, packing recycling bags, fixing the

dumpster fence, digging weeds, clearing beds,

trimming the entrance plantings, sprucing up the

columbarium and much more. All were fortified

by Rosalie’s marvelous apple cake and pumpkin

muffins with coffee and cool water. Many thanks

for all your time and caring: Bev Aisenbrey, Keith

Austin, Midge and Barry Bosak, Helen Buerger,

Barbara and David Gasparik, Geoff Harter, Lisette

Hautau, Brian Lewis, Rosalie Matsuoka, Carol and

John Mickel, Bonnie Rosborough and Barb

Vincent. Thank you also to Mary Alenstein and

Bruce Wilson of the Memorials Committee who

are making plans to replace the broken pot in the

columbarium, and to the Women’s Society who

provided the lovely pansies and tete a tete

daffodils in the troughs. BCC is beautifully ready

for spring!

Buildings and Grounds Committee

SUNDAY SCHOOL HOLDS SEDER

On Palm Sunday after leaving the Church service

the students and teachers of the Sunday School

attended a Seder in Beebe Hall. Here is what we

did and told our children: for over 3,200 years the

Jewish people have been celebrating the Passover

by annually holding a Seder to commemorate

God's redemption of the Jewish people from

slavery and bondage in Egypt. God sent Moses to

go to Pharaoh and said, "Let My People Go". When

Pharaoh says, “no!”, God sends ten plagues to

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Egypt including blood, frogs, lice, cattle disease,

boils, hail, locust, and darkness.

The Sunday School students read Exodus 12: 5-15

in which God commands the Jewish people to

make unleavened bread and to slay a lamb and

use the blood to mark their doors so that the angel

of death would Passover their houses and not slay

the firstborn in the house.

Everyone at our Seder tasted the bitter herbs

dipped in salt water to understand the bitterness

of slavery and the taste of the shed. Then everyone

ate the unleavened bread (matzoh) and the sweet

charoset to experience the sweetness of the ancient

Jews who were set free from bondage by the Lord.

We went on to explain how Jesus attended

Passovers every year of his life and how

his last Passover was the Last Supper which we

celebrate on Maundy Thursday during Easter

week.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

FOR THE ANNUAL HEIFER FAIR

This year’s Heifer Fair will take place on Mother's

Day, May 11th, during coffee hour. It will give dad

and the kids a chance to pick up the perfect last

minute gift for mom and, oh by the way, help our

fund raising efforts for Heifer International. This is

the organization that uses the monies contributed

to buy seeds and goats and cows and honey bees

and teaches the villagers of third world countries

how to become self sufficient. In turn these

villagers pass along the offspring and they in turn

teach their neighbors the lessons learned. Please

plan on attending our Heifer Fair and help

support our kids in their efforts to help make a

difference.

EASTER EGG HUNT DRAWS A CROWD

This year's Easter Egg hunt was held on the

Saturday before Easter and drew a crowd of over

twenty children. There were many children and

family members there who do not attend our

Church. We handed out helium filled balloons

with invitations inviting everyone to attend Easter

service the following day. Beside finding plastic

Easter eggs filled with candy the children also

discovered lollipops growing out of our lawn. The

Easter Bunny made an appearance and was

greeted with squeals of delight and giggles from

all the children. This lead to a photo op and lots of

families snapped away getting photos of the kids

with the Easter Bunny. Thanks to Allie Herskovitz

for being our Easter Bunny and thanks to CE for

making this such a joyous occasion.

TWO MORE PICNIC PLANNERS WANTED!!

We have three volunteers, Rachel

Leihbacher, Martha Ferguson and Tom

Vincent. We are looking for two more

planners to help us with this festive event.

Do you have a special talent for:

Setting a picnic table?

Cajoling others to set a picnic table?

Buying sandwiches and salads?

Cajoling others to bake desserts?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you

are a candidate to help plan our special Sunday School

Sunday and Gathering Sunday picnics. Your reward

will be the joy of seeing us all gathered on the lawn,

and maybe even a round of applause!

Please let us know if you can help.

Contact Bev Aisenbrey at 271-6701 or

baisenbrey@optonline.net

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BRIARCLIFF CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH TEL: 914-941-4368 FAX: 914-941-1513 EMAIL: church-office@briarcliffchurch.org

MAY 2014

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

APRIL 27

Moving

Sunday

11-3

APRIL 28

Rummage

Sorting

9-4

APRIL 29

Rummage

Sorting

9-9 Pizza Supper

APRIL 30

Rummage

Sorting

9-4

1

Rummage

Sorting, 9-4

Workers Luncheon

12 noon

Senior Choir

rehearsal, 8 p.m.

2

Rummage

Sorting, 9-4

3

RUMMAGE

SALE

9 TO 4

4 WORSHIP, 10 a.m. Peanut Butter Sunday

5

6

Benevolence,

8 p.m.

7

Deacons’ meeting,

7:30 p.m.

8

Senior Choir

rehearsal, 8 p.m.

9

10 Spiritual Tasks of

Aging followup

10 a.m. - noon

11 WORSHIP, 10 a.m.

HEIFER FAIR

12

ANNUAL REPORTS

DUE TO CHURCH

OFFICE!

13

Christian Ed,

7:30 p.m.

14

DEADLINE FOR

JUNE OPEN DOOR

15

Senior Choir

rehearsal, 8 p.m.

16

Women’ Society

Rummage Wrap-up,

9:30 a.m.

(Louisa Myers’ home)

17

18 WORSHIP, 10 a.m.

LAITY SUNDAY

19

Church Council,

7:45 p.m.

20

21

22

Senior Choir

rehearsal, 8 p.m.

23

24

25 WORSHIP, 10 a.m.

NO CHURCH

SCHOOL

26

27

Trustees;, 7:45 p.m.

28

29

Senior Choir

rehearsal, 8 p.m.

30

31

Childcare is available during worship. Sunday School meets simultaneously.

BCC Office Hours: Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.